In the world of Premier League football, where every comment becomes a storm and every opinion becomes a battlefield, Wayne Rooney has once again placed himself directly under the brightest spotlight. The former Manchester United striker, the man whose name once terrified defenders across England and Europe, now finds himself in a different type of arena. Not on the pitch anymore, not on the sidelines as a manager, but sitting in a studio, holding a microphone, trying to make sense of a season filled with chaos, drama, surprises, and unforgettable performances. But the moment he opened his mouth and named his three best Premier League players of the season so far, everything exploded into reactions, confusion, shock, anger, debates, and endless questions from fans who could not believe what they were hearing.
Rooney’s transition into punditry has never been smooth. Ever since his managerial journey failed to catch fire, leaving him with short and disappointing spells at Birmingham City and Plymouth Argyle, he has been trying to find his place in the world of football again. But the camera is not always friendly, the microphone is not always patient, and the fans are never forgiving. Every time Rooney speaks, someone somewhere is ready to challenge him. And that is exactly what happened this week when he revealed his picks for the three best players of the 2025/26 Premier League season so far.
Even before he finished speaking, football fans online were already sharpening their reactions. For many, the biggest shock was not just who Rooney selected, but who he left out. Erling Haaland, the man who has scored 14 goals in 11 games this season, the striker who has become a machine of goals for Manchester City, did not even make the top three. It was the kind of omission that could only cause chaos, and chaos was exactly what followed. But Rooney did not stop there. He also surprised fans by choosing a player from Arsenal who many did not expect, especially with Arsenal sitting at the top of the league. Instead of naming Declan Rice, or Bukayo Saka, or Gabriel, Rooney selected Viktor Gyökeres, the striker who has struggled to replicate his unbelievable Sporting form in the Premier League.
The moment Amazon Prime played the clip, the internet started to shake. Rooney looked calm, almost too calm, as he listed his three names. First, he chose Antoine Semenyo, the Bournemouth attacker whose performances this season have been nothing short of explosive. Six goals and three assists in eleven games, carrying on from the electric form he showed last season. Semenyo has been a nightmare for defenders, using power, pace, and pure determination to bully teams in ways few expected. Most fans agreed that Semenyo has been brilliant, so Rooney’s first choice was not too controversial.
His second pick was Bryan Mbeumo, the unexpected hero at Manchester United this season. United have struggled. They have stumbled, fallen, gotten up, and fallen again. But Mbeumo has been the one shining light in their darkness, the player who has refused to allow the team to collapse completely. Scoring crucial goals, providing important assists, working tirelessly on and off the ball, Mbeumo has turned himself into the lifeline of a team filled with tension and inconsistency. Most United fans were happy to see him recognized, and even neutrals admitted that his performances deserved praise.
But it was Rooney’s third name that made the world pause. Viktor Gyökeres. The Swedish striker who arrived at Arsenal for £56 million. The man who scored 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting, winning the Gerd Müller trophy at the Ballon d’Or. The striker who arrived with pressure sitting on both shoulders, expectations sitting on his head, and Arsenal fans waiting to see magic. Yet, so far, he has scored only four goals in ten Premier League games. Not a disaster, but definitely not the explosive start many expected. And Rooney choosing him ahead of Haaland, or even ahead of Saka, Rice, Gabriel, or even Salah, was something fans never saw coming.
Rooney explained his choice calmly, talking about Gyökeres’s work rate, his hold-up play, his determination, and his importance to Arsenal’s system. But while Rooney spoke, fans online began to erupt. The reactions became storms. One fan wrote: “Gyökeres? No wonder he failed as a manager.” Another added: “So the guy with more goals than games is not top three, but Gyökeres is? Makes sense!” Someone else said: “I don’t know why legends always want to sound clever. Rooney, it is Haaland. Stop trying to be special.” Everywhere online, the same question echoed: “Is this a real quote?” Football fans felt like Rooney was trolling the world, like he was trying to stir controversy intentionally, like he wanted every football show, every talk show, and every social media page to debate his choices.
Football fans around the world respect Rooney the player. The man who scored 208 Premier League goals, the striker who fought defenders like he was wrestling giants, the legend who lifted trophies and created unforgettable moments. But Rooney the pundit? That is a different story. Every time he speaks, fans are unsure whether to listen carefully or prepare for chaos. This time, they prepared for chaos.
People questioned his football watching habits. Some wondered whether Rooney has watched enough Premier League matches this season. Others suggested that he was simply trying to get attention after being humiliated earlier this month by Virgil van Dijk on live TV. During that incident, Van Dijk challenged one of Rooney’s statements so aggressively that Rooney was left speechless. Fans joked that Rooney has not recovered since then, and maybe he was trying to reclaim some respect by giving bold, unexpected opinions. But instead of gaining respect, he has attracted even more criticism
Still, deep inside the drama, there is a truth Rooney understands better than anyone. He knows that work rate matters. He knows that football is more than goals. He knows that managers do not build teams based only on statistics. They build teams based on hunger, determination, attitude, and the ability to follow tactical instructions. And in that sense, Gyökeres has been everything Arsenal hoped for. His link-up play has been sharp. His movement has helped Arsenal’s structure. His energy has brought balance to their attack. And even though he has not scored a lot, he has contributed in ways fans do not always notice.
But football fans are emotional, and emotions rarely follow logic. For them, goals talk louder than everything else. And when the Premier League top scorer is not in the top three players of the season so far, eyebrows will rise. When the Premier League top scorer is Erling Haaland, eyebrows will not just rise—they will fly straight off the face. Haaland has built a reputation for being unstoppable. When he scores, it looks normal. When he does not score, it becomes news. And for Rooney to look at the season so far and say that Haaland is not among the top three players, that is like saying the sky is not blue. Even if he tries to back it up with analysis, fans will never accept it.
The internet has become a battlefield of words, but the story goes deeper. Rooney’s selections tell a story of how he views football. He values team sacrifice. He values hard work. He values players who solve problems even when they are not scoring goals. And maybe that is why he chose Gyökeres. Maybe he sees the hunger Arsenal have been missing. Maybe he believes Gyökeres is the piece Arsenal needed all along. Maybe he sees something other fans do not.
But the Premier League is brutal. Fans judge results. They judge goals. They judge impact in the biggest moments. And Gyökeres has not delivered enough goals yet. Arsenal fans expected fireworks. They expected explosions. They expected a striker who would terrorize the league. But four goals in ten games is not enough to silence critics. And every time he misses a chance, the pressure grows. Gyökeres might be working hard, but without goals, the pressure will not go away. And if it continues, Arsenal fans will begin to question everything.
Rooney understands the life of a striker. He knows the pressure. He knows the expectations. He knows the moments when silence becomes heavier than noise. And if Gyökeres does not rise soon, the pressure inside Arsenal will grow. But Rooney’s opinion has now added even more spotlight on him, even more weight on his shoulders. Fans will now watch him differently. Every touch, every run, every attempt, every mistake will be judged through Rooney’s words.
But the truth is, the Premier League is still a long season. Anything can change. Haaland might slow down or score thirty more goals. Semenyo might become the league’s surprise superstar. Mbeumo might carry Manchester United into a better future. Gyökeres might finally awaken the goal-scoring machine inside him. Or he might disappear under pressure. Nobody knows. And that uncertainty is what makes football beautiful.
Football is the only world where one opinion can cause a storm that lasts weeks. One sentence can shake fanbases. One name can divide millions. Rooney might have caused chaos, but he has reminded everyone why they love the game. Because football is not just about numbers. It is about stories, emotions, surprises, arguments, shocks, and unpredictable twists.
And as fans continue debating Rooney’s list, the Premier League marches on. More games, more goals, more drama. More chances for players to shine. More opportunities for fans to react. More moments that will define the season. And perhaps, by the end of the season, Rooney’s list will look genius. Or perhaps it will look ridiculous. Time will decide.
But for now, one thing is certain: Rooney has once again become the center of football conversation. And whether fans agree with him or not, they are all talking about him. And maybe that was the plan all along.
